Adoption Has Always Been Woven Into Our Story
Jake’s connection to adoption is deeply personal. His mother was adopted as an infant, and watching how adoption shaped her life stirred something in him from a young age. In his family, the decision of his mom’s birth mother to place her for adoption has always been spoken about as the ultimate sacrifice and a profound act of love.
Kelci’s path to adoption began at an early age. Growing up, she lived next door to a little boy who had been adopted from Haiti. Watching his family and hearing his story sparked a curiosity about adoption that stayed with her. As a young adult, her faith led her to spend several years living in Haiti, where she built deep relationships with the children at the orphanage where she lived. Those years profoundly shaped her understanding of family, love, and God’s heart for vulnerable children.
Throughout our marriage, we have returned to conversations about adoption time and time again. While we always knew it would be part of our story, it wasn’t until recently that we felt the Lord clearly affirm that this was the season to begin our journey.
Over the past year, we have had the privilege of caring for four children through foster and kinship care. Welcoming these children into our home gave us a glimpse of both the beauty and the responsibility of caring for vulnerable children. Watching our daughters embrace each child with compassion, joy, and unconditional love reaffirmed that our entire family has more love to give.
Today, we are home study approved through Choosing Hope Adoptions and are waiting to be matched with our child. We’ve been encouraged to begin fundraising now because adoption journeys can change in an instant, and we want to be prepared to say “yes” when that call comes.
As exciting as this journey is, adoption also comes with significant financial costs. We have been blessed with a $5,000 matching grant through Harvest Church in Calhoun, KY, which means every dollar donated toward our adoption will be matched—doubling the impact of your generosity. Your support helps remove financial barriers so we can focus on preparing to welcome our child home.
If, for any reason, we are not ultimately matched with a child or our adoption plans change, any funds donated through our LifeSong account will not be lost. Instead, they will be used to help another adoptive family bring their child home. We love knowing that every gift given will continue supporting the mission of adoption, no matter where God leads our own journey.
More than anything, we would cherish your prayers. Please pray for the expectant parents who are facing incredibly difficult decisions, for our future child, for wisdom and discernment throughout this process, and that God’s perfect timing would be evident every step of the way.
As a special way to remember everyone who helps make this possible, we’re creating an Adoption Puzzle. Every individual or family who donates will have their name written on the back of a puzzle piece. As the puzzle slowly comes together, it will become a beautiful reminder that our fourth child was loved, prayed for, and supported by an incredible village long before they came home. One day, we’ll frame it as a treasured keepsake—a reminder that so many people helped write the very first chapter of their story.
Thank you for considering partnering with our family. Whether through prayer, encouragement, or financial support, you are becoming part of our adoption story. We are deeply grateful for your generosity, your prayers, and your belief in what God is doing. We cannot wait to see how He writes the next chapter of our family’s story.
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Coe 12208”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
- In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
- Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
- *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card